My ride- 06 streetrod. VMOD pipes/tab fuel manager. I sadly admit, that it not tuned the way it should be. Saving $ for a custom setup.

So met up with a friend of mine in the Bay Area today. He rides a 2009 motto guzzi griso. First time I have seen it. Now his Griso is tuned, flashed, and has a custom suspension setup. Of course he has a PCV and Custom exhaust.

So being that I was in his home turf, he led the way. We started out at a medium pace and went all over Oakland and Berkeley. Then off to the Bay Bridge and into Marin county we went.. that's were I had a hard time keeping up. As a surprise to me, he was faster off of 1st gear and I could barely hang on in the twisties, I mean barely!!! We are both at same skill level, which I would say is intermediate. So on the way back we switched bikes, during the trip to Marin, I thought that maybe he was just the better rider.

Round 2
It took me about 10-15 minutes to get comfortable with the griso. Once I was at ease, I tell ya, he was dust- this not make feel good as he was on my bike!!!! Just like me he could barely keep up. The only places were he would manage catch up was on the I880 were we averaged about 80-90 MPH through moderate traffic.

In conclusion, i dunno I am a little dissapointed. I still luv my streetrod I think it has more curb appeal and presence, but damn!! Really?? Did I just get taken by a Griso? Well, sadly it looks like I did.

I been looking for a 2nd bike, was thinking of a buell CR 1125 or used zx14. But now I am strongly considering the Griso.

I dunno, I just figured my R would have more juice. I think with the proper pipes and "tune" I might be able to give him a run for his money

150# is humungous. And I mean HUMUNGOUS! That kind of weight difference is hard to overcome, it translate into a substantial amount of HP loss. A tune won't help you much. An R with a 150# diet would smoke his Guzzi azz.
There is good reason those big, fat focks at the track don't pull good numbers with their monster bikes!

150# is humungous. And I mean HUMUNGOUS! That kind of weight difference is hard to overcome, it translate into a substantial amount of HP loss. A tune won't help you much. An R with a 150# diet would smoke his Guzzi azz.
There is good reason those big, fat focks at the track don't pull good numbers with their monster bikes!

The Guzzi is a lovely bike, I know it well. It is underpowered and rather heavy though.

When the V-Rod was designed, nobody seems to have taken any interest in the weight. You can see why Harley take no interest in how much, say, a Softail weighs, but lumbering the V-Rod with boat anchor wheels, heavy rotors, and an insanely heavy subframe, not to mention the engine putting on a load of weight since the VR1000 days, was a mistake.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - the V-Rod could have broken right out of the "Harley" ghetto and sold to a whole new market if it had shipped with a bit more power and a lot less lard.

As for the R, it is less pretty than a V-Rod, but still ludicrously overweight, and underpowered. No wonder it didn't sell. It's a shame, because the people in charge of the project wanted to make a decent bike, but they were vetoed, as ever, by Harley senior management, who simply cannot see that their traditional buyers will never buy anything sporting, and even their attempts at sporting are too slow, heavy and wobbly to be of any interest to the rest of the market.

I'm still surprised at the result though. I'd expect a Street Rod to show a clean pair of heels to my V-Rod, and I've ridden a Griso, and quick it isn't.

[edit - ah, the Griso has gained 21BHP since the one I rode. That makes sense now!]

I was really considering buying a Griso. I was finally able to test ride one last week. The riding position was fine, but I found the vibration in the 3-4K RPM range uncomfortable. I came home and rode my Night Rod for a comparison, and I must say it cured me of Griso fever. I really wanted to like the Griso, but I can't picture myself on one long term.

I agree- faster but uglier. In our defense as VROD, by buddies griso as stated above is tuned with custom suspension dialed in. He has an extra 12-15HP over a stock griso and is about 15lbs lighter as well.. with the mods he has made.

So yeah, I guess you all are spot on. I should not have been surprised.

I agree- faster but uglier. In our defense as VROD, by buddies griso as stated above is tuned with custom suspension dialed in. He has an extra 12-15HP over a stock griso and is about 15lbs lighter as well.. with the mods he has made.

So yeah, I guess you all are spot on. I should not have been surprised.

I don't think it's ugly, I think it is gorgeous. But the early one I rode was too slow. I'm glad about this thread, I didn't realise that it had added 20BHP (as stock, as pointed out another 10BHP is easy to find on any air cooled big bike if you stick two fingers up at the EPA and change the exhaust and mapping), and I'm really interested now. My two daily rides now have Portuguese plates and can be sold at a profit - I'll give a modern Griso another go. Cheap and, in my opinion, ragingly cool. Only the sub 100BHP motor put me off it. 110BHP (stock) sounds a lot more like it...